ALBANY – Following Monday’s practice Tom Coughlin was speaking about Hakeem Nicks and when the Giants top receiver might return from the broken foot that has kept him out of training camp.

“It will be soon,’’ the head coach said.

And it took a step closer to reality on Monday.

Nicks cleared his physical, has been removed from the Physically Unable to Perform list and is now on the active roster.

I’m very excited about that,” Nicks said. “They’re letting me know that by the beginning of next week I can start doing some stuff with the team; some individual and stuff like that. They still want me to take it slow and be smart about it. But I feel good about being out there progressing myself with the team slowly but surely.”

He will be limited in practice for the next three days. There’s no chance the Giants will put him on the field for Saturday night’s preseason game against the Jets but Nicks is on schedule to get in a preseason game or two before the Sept. 5 regular-season opener against the Cowboys.

“It feels good,” he said. “I know it’s probably going to take me getting over it within my head, but that’s going to come with more reps on it and getting those routes down and getting the timing back.”

The Giants initially set a 12-week timeframe for Nicks, who fractured a bone in his right foot on May 24. This Friday is exactly 12 weeks from the day of Nicks’ surgery, as a screw was inserted to hasten the healing process. Nicks proclaimed himself a fast healer and indeed that appears to be the case.

“This is an indication that we’re right where we should be,” Nicks said. “We’re on schedule. There have been no setbacks. Thank the Lord for that. I’m just going to take it one step at a time and be out there catching passes from Eli (Manning) and eventually getting our timing back.”